


Guiding Lights

by GoldenPaws



Series: The Chains That Bind Us [8]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Awesome James "Rhodey" Rhodes, Awesome Jarvis (Iron Man movies), Gen, I suck at tagging, James "Rhodey" Rhodes & Tony Stark Friendship, Jarvis (Iron Man movies) is a Good Bro, Protective James "Rhodey" Rhodes, Protective Tony Stark, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Has Issues, also tagging is hard, and fun (I hope), but also some feels, moving days for our boys, our boys being awesome and close and beautiful, so lots of stress and feels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-11
Updated: 2020-01-27
Packaged: 2021-02-27 09:28:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22214845
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GoldenPaws/pseuds/GoldenPaws
Summary: “Hope you’ll be this chill when we move, too. Otherwise we’re gonna have a BIG problem. So, you gotta behave, you hear me? Be a really good wolfie, and behave yourself on the way. Think you do that?”Sato woofs at that, and Tony laughs, because he understand that it’s meant to be an agreement. They understand each other by now, in most ways.“Okay, I’ll make sure to hold you to that promise! Because, uh... Well, we’re moving today. Uncle Rhodey’s gonna come by in a few hours to pick us up, and then it’s off to the Big Apple. So, I really, really need you to be try and keep calm, okay?”, Tony whispers as he leans forward, resting his forehead against Sato’s, “because I need this to work, you hear me? We both need this to work, because it’s the only way we can stay together and keep all of this craziness from ruining both our lives! Please, please, please be a good wolfie, Sato?”
Relationships: Fenrir & Tony Stark
Series: The Chains That Bind Us [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1477469
Comments: 20
Kudos: 71





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Yay, back again! Moving day :D
> 
> Gonna be three chapters, and I'll try to get it finished before the end of next week (no promises, though). Not much else to add, just hope you'll enjoy, and maybe consider leaving kudos/ comments? Those always make my day ^^
> 
> Love,  
> Goldie

“Hey, buddy. Got a moment for me?”

Sato lazily blinks his eyes open, and turns his head to the side. Tony is smiling back at him, and the wolf feels his chest grow warm and light. As the soft hum fills his ears, he leans forward just enough to lick at the man’s face gently. He gets some spluttering protest in return, but a laugh, too, and that is the most important thing. With a deep sigh, he lowers his head to the mattress and looks up at the man with attentive eyes.

“Yeah, yeah, I know you’re tired. Promise I won’t keep you up too long, alright? Then you can your daily dose of food coma!”

Sato only huffs, because he has long since become used to the man’s strange expressions. The wolf may not understand everything, but that hardly matters. As long as Tony is here, Sato sees no reason to be afraid. And if he doesn’t understand what the man means, exactly, he has also come to understand that most of those things aren’t as important as the ones he understands perfectly well.

Now, Tony lets out a sigh as he sits down on the mattress, gently dragging Sato’s head into his lap as he starts to scratch behind the wolf’s ears. Sato lets out a content rumble as his eyes slide closed again, because yes- It feels wonderful. He has also gotten used to the almost constant affection, and still craves it almost every minute of the day. The time he spent on Lyngvy almost made him forget just how good it could feel to be petted, to have hands car through his fur and scratch that special spot just behind his ears. Or to simply have someone right next to his side, feeling their warmth seep into his fur, down to his flesh and bones. Sato used to be so cold, with the mist crawling under his skin and make him shudder near constantly. He is warm, now, and he hasn’t been cold in a long, long time. With a dry furand the warm air of the lab, this place often feels like a rather strange den. A safe den, still. Another content rumble, and Sato nudges Tony’s hand when it stops moving

“So, you remember that place I told you about? New York?”

Yes, Sato remembers. Tony has told him about that unknown place, and he has talked about it almost every other hour over the last couple of days, whenever he talked to Rhodey over the phone, or JARVIS, or that woman- Pepper. Sato never made an effort to listen what the man was talking about exactly, because while he was curious, he also figured Tony would tell him everything important in due time, as he has done with everything else. It seems that time has now come. Blinking a few times, Sato looks up and into Tony’s warm eyes. The man’s smile widens at that, and pets the wolf’s head a couple of times.

“Yeah, of course you remember! You’re a smart wolfie, aren’t you? You’d never forget anything I tell you.”

While he’s aware that it’s a joke, Sato silently agrees. He has made an effort to pay close attention to anything Tony has told him. In the beginning, it was mostly due to his fear of being- Attacked, hurt, chained down again, and he didn’t want to miss any hints the man might’ve let slip during the hours he spent muttering to himself, or directly addressing the wolf. Then, he came to understand that he was safe, and ever since then, he has paid even closer attention. He is not entirely sure why.

“So, anyway. New York. Great city, really. Lots of people, interesting people, I mean, not those idiots running around, acting like they own- Well, there’s those, too, but uh, kinda less than other places? Or maybe I’ve just been lucky enough to never encounter those idiots, whatever. But New York is cool. City that never sleeps, which is kinda my thing, so that might be why I’m kinda drawn there, too - Aaaaaaand I’m rambling again, aren’t I?”

Sato grins at that, lifting his head to nudge Tony’s chin gently, licking the man’s beard. He doesn’t mind Tony talking about anything and everything; he likes listening to him and letting that soothing, familiar voice wash over him as he drifts off to sleep. Some things he understands, most he doesn’t, but that has never been a problem, so he doesn’t worry about it now, either.

“Yeah, of course you wouldn’t mind. Big puppy that you are”, Tony now mutters as he scratches behind Sato’s ears until the wolf rumbles again, “you make a terrible conversation partner. Wait, no, not true. You’re the best conversation partner, _ever_ , because you actually appreciate me, and you never interrupt, and you’re just plain awesome. Anyone ever told you that?”

In some ways, maybe. With rather different words, in another language, with different eyes, and a very different understanding... Sato can’t be too sure, now. The wolf only listens halfway, because he’s busy letting his head sink down into Tony’s lap again, allowing his eyes to slip closed again.

“You really just don’t give a fuck, huh?”, Tony now murmurs, and the wolf would like to disagree.

He does care, about a lot of things, mostly Tony himself. He cares about his own life, too, and his safety, and the soft, gentle hum in his ears, the one sound that tugs at his heart and makes him want to reach out again - Even though he knows that Tony won’t ever be able to respond. It hurts, but he has learned to accept it. Still, some nights he can’t keep himself from calling out - Quietly, of course, and always without an answer.

“Hope you’ll be this chill when we move, too. Otherwise we’re gonna have a BIG problem. So, you gotta behave, you hear me? Be a really good wolfie, and behave yourself on the way. Think you do that?”

Sato woofs at that, and Tony laughs, because he understand that it’s meant to be an agreement. They understand each other by now, in most ways.

“Okay, I’ll make sure to hold you to that promise! Because, uh... Well, we’re moving today. Uncle Rhodey’s gonna come by in a few hours to pick us up, and then it’s off to the Big Apple. So, I really, _really_ need you to be try and keep calm, okay?”, Tony whispers as he leans forward, resting his forehead against Sato’s, “because I need this to work, you hear me? We _both_ need this to work, because it’s the only way we can stay together and keep all of this craziness from ruining both our lives! Please, please, _please_ be a good wolfie, Sato?”

The wolf feels the man’s heart tremble and quickly presses closer, nudging his nose against the man’s throat, licking the warm skin, and he does his best to comfort Tony, because nothing matters more than calming the man down, because he is scared, and Sato knows it’s his job to keep Tony happy and his nightmares far away.

“Hey, it’s okay, it’s okay. We’re gonna be just fine. There’s really no reason to be scared, because I’m gonna be there, and Rhodey, too, and we’re gonna make sure nothing happens to you. We’re gonna take care of you, I promise. And all you have to do is be quiet and calm and not eat anyone on the way there. Think you can do that?”

Again, Sato woofs, and hopes Tony understands his amused promise. No, he won’t eat anyone. He won’t hurt anyone, either, and he will try to do as Tony and Rhodey tell him to do. Sato will try, and he knows he will be safe. Still, he can’t help but rumble happily when the man hugs him close for just a few more moments, and sinks into the familiar warmth as those gentle hands card through his fur, his muscles relaxing, his mind growing slow and soft as he slowly drifts off.

A new city. Sato is... He is not scared. Curious, maybe.

Later that night, they take a walk on the beach, as they do most days. When they sit down in the soft sand, Sato lifts his head and watches the stars. Tony is busy looking at his phone, muttering to himself as he furrows his brow and his shoulders tense up. Sato doesn’t mind too much. Instead, he sniffs the cool, salty air and wonders.

Tony has spent the last few days packing up all of his important belongings. DUM-E and YOU have been shipped off yesterday, and Sato hopes they have reached their destination safely. He misses them, he truly does, and their whirring and chirping, and the way they make Tony laugh with their antics. Hopefully, he will see them soon enough, and then they will play again, and he won’t have to worry about their safety anymore. He will join them, and soon at that. Tonight. Just a few more hours, then Rhodey will be here, and then- Then they will leave this... Home? Is it his home? Sato isn’t all that sure. It is a place he feels safe in, where he has rested and healed and felt cared for and protected. He is... Not scared, not exactly, but still rather nervous.

He wonders about New York, too. A new place, new people, a new- But will it be a home? Maybe. The bots will be there, and JARVIS, and Tony, too, and that... That will be enough for Sato. It’s more than he dared to dream about, before. And while it is not what he ever envisioned, it will... It will be alright. He knows, and he trusts Tony, so there is no reason to be afraid. They will be fine... He thinks.

A cool breeze ruffles his fur, and Sato sneezes. Tony looks over with a small smile, reaching over to pet his snout as he turns back to his phone.

Not much longer now, and things will change again. Sato isn’t all that used to change. His life used to be rather- Static. And now... Things are different now. Very different. The wolf isn’t sure if he likes it, but there is nothing to be done about it, so he guesses it’s useless to wonder about it, anyway. Still, he won’t be alone. Tony will stay with him, and Rhodey will, too, and JARVIS, of course. He trusts them, and in the end, he doesn’t really have a choice. Sato knows that he could leave, if he wanted to. He could run away. But where would he go? He doesn’t know this world, and Tony already told him that there are a lot of bad, cruel people out there. It’s not too difficult to believe. And it scares the wolf. He is scared of being chained down again, being cut apart and flayed open, simply because he is something- Strange.

Shuddering, he presses closer to Tony and rests his head on the man’s thigh, taking a deep breath. It’s no use worrying about any of that. As long as he stays close to Tony, he will be safe. The man will keep him safe, and Sato won’t have to worry about being imprisoned again. Watching the small waves rolling up on the beach, he tries to calm his stumbling heart and remember Tony’s promises. So far, none of them have been broken. He’ll simply have to believe that it won’t happen now, either.

“Hey, you ready to head back? Rhodey should be here in less than an hour, so we better get ready.”

Sato grumbles as he gets up and shakes out his sandy fur. Tony shies away and mutters something about bad manners, so Sato nudges him playfully until he stumbles, and then starts trotting towards the lights of the house, glowing in the distance. They guide them home, through the darkness, back to safety, and Sato can’t help but think that he will miss them. He hopes that there will be lights in their new home, too.

Just as he feels the tension crawl up through his muscles again, a gentle hand cards through his thick fur and scratches his skin, bringing him back to the present moment. Turning his head to the side, he sees Tony still staring down at his phone, brow furrowed and eyes just a little darker than usual. Tony isn’t looking at the ground, only holding onto Sato and relying on him to guide them home. The wolf watches him for a moment, and then wonders if maybe he isn’t the only one being... Scared, after all. Taking a deep breath, he turns back towards the lights, and uses them to guide both of them home one last time.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Longest. Chapter. Ever.  
> Have fun with that one! Only one more to go, and I'm pretty sure I'll post that one sometime during the weekend (won't be that long, though)!
> 
> Not much to say cuz I'm tired, so enjoy, and lemme know what you think!
> 
> Love,  
> Goldie

Tony is panicking. He really, really, _really_ doesn’t want to, but he really can’t help it. So yeah, he’s panicking. Sue him! It’s a situation where panicking is more than warranted, and there’s nothing to be done about it, so he can’t help panicking, making everything so much worse, and fuck, he hates moving! It’s so tedious and exhausting and takes so much fucking time! And usually he wouldn’t mind all that much, because he would pay some company to move his shit, and would simply fly over to New York without any of the hassle everyone has to deal with. Not this time, though. This time, he has to move a giant freaking wolf across the country, and did he mention that he was panicking?!?

Taking a deep breath, he paces through the lab for the, what? Tenth time? Twentieth time? He isn’t sure anymore. Everything’s already packed, at least all the stuff he actually needs, so he has spent the last couple of hours carrying a couple of screwdrivers and pliers and shit like that from one location to the next, then the next, then the next, and then back to the place he originally took them from. In between, he’s been busy googling information about traveling with dogs (because _of fucking course_ there are hardly any instances of people privately traveling with wolves), and then proceeded to panic even more, because it sounds so fucking stressful! And then he’s back to panicking again. Taking a shaky breath, he scrubs a hand over his face and casts a glance towards the wolf in question. Sato is behaving... Well. Differently. The wolf is lying next to the mattress, head resting on top of it, and he’s watching Tony with wide, concerned eyes. Yet he hasn’t made an attempt to get up and come closer, as if he senses that Tony just needs to keep on moving, keep on working through his nervousness. Now, the big guy lets out a small whine and wags his tail lazily.

**Thump thump thump. Thump thump.**

Tony does his best to smile, but then goes back to pacing through the lab. They can do this. Right? It’s not common for him to have doubts about his ability to do literally _anything_ , so yeah, that sucks, too. But tonight is different. Tonight, it’s not only on him. It’s on Rhodey, too, and he doesn’t have any doubts when it comes to that guy, either. No, he worries mostly about Sato. Because while the wolf has been on his best behavior for weeks now, flying him to New York might still be a spectacularly bad idea. Because there is so much that could go wrong, and to be honest: Tony doesn’t really believe in a flawless success. Something’s bound to go wrong, because, well- Truth be told, while the plan might be alright, they really haven’t prepared for anything to go wrong. If shit hits the fan, they’ll be fucked. Royally.

_Sir, Colonel Rhodes has arrived on the property._

“Yeah, great. Send him down”, Tony mutter distractedly as he cards a hand through his hair and tries not to start screaming.

Sato whines again, and this time he turns around and walks over, falling heavily onto the mattress.

“C’mere, you. I kinda need some quality cuddling time”, he murmurs as he drags the wolf’s heavy head into his lap and starts scratching behind those fluffy ears.

Sato rumbles happily, but still watches him attentively, golden eyes full of concern. Tony no longer questions wether or not his wolf is even capable of feeling concern or worry- He just _knows_ that Sato is. After spending this much time side by side, he now understands that he might’ve been underestimating the animal’s abilitly for empathy. Yeah, that guy knows what’s up, and Tony has no way of fooling him.

“Sorry for being this stressed out. I promise I’m gonna be okay. And you, too, of course. Just gotta get you on that plane, and to New York. And then everything’s gonna be just perfectly fine. As long as you behave, and don’t call a national crisis before tomorrow.”

Sato woofs at that, and yeah, what else was Tony expecting? With a deep sigh, he lets himself fall onto his back, dragging the wolf with him, until the big head rests on his chest and stomach. The weight keeps him grounded, and Sato’s little rumbling sounds makes him relax just a fraction.

**Thump thump thump. Thump thump thump thump. Thump thump.**

“You’re really chill today”, Tony muses with a furrowed brow as he drags his fingers up and down the back of the snout, “thought you’d have the wolfie equivalent of my breakdown here. But you’re just- Chill. Which is awesome, don’t get me wrong! Really awesome, actually. You’re kinda of zen, huh? Anything you wanna teach me in the span of the next- Two minutes?”

Sato woofs and gently nudges his chin with his cold, wet nose. Probably not, then. Two minutes might’ve been a little optimistic anyway, but hey! Tony’s a genius, after all, so he might’ve managed, if only Sato wasn’t determined to keep his damned secrets of wolfie-zen. Maybe he just likes to keep Tony guessing, the little shit.

Now, Sato’s ears start to twitch, and turn towards the lab’s door. Won’t be much longer now until Rhodey comes down here. Tony knows from experience (and consulting his security cameras a few too many times) that Sato starts reacting about the exact moment that visitors step a foot onto his front yard, almost fifty meters from his front door. Since he doesn’t tense or start to growl, it must be Rhodey. Or the pizza delivery guy. For whatever reason, the wolf doesn’t mind that guy, either.

**Thump thump thump. Thump thump thump thump. Thump thump thump thump. Thump thump thump.**

The tail wagging is the last clue Tony needs, and a moment later, Rhodey is already stepping into the lab. Sato doesn’t hesitate a moment before getting up onto his four paws and bounding over, as usual not braking fast enough, and therefore more or less crashing into the poor guy.

“UGH, TONY!”

“He’s just happy to see you!”, the engineer grins as he sits up and watches his best friend get his face (and hands and arms and neck and shirt) licked by his wolf.

Rhodey curses and scolds and does his best to push Sato away, but it’s a big wolf, and a lot of excitement, so he doesn’t really stand a chance to begin with. In the end, he has to admit defeat and allow the wolf to cover him in slobber, then spend about two minutes intensively sniffing his clothes, before nudging his chest and hands and nipping at his fingers playfully. Yeah, Sato really likes bis uncle (and no, that doesn’t imply _anything_ , no matter what Rhodey has to say about it!).

“One day we’ll finally teach you some manners.”

“Hey, he has wonderful manners! He’s just happy to see you!”

“Great. He doesn’t have to cover me in his saliva, though.”

“It’s his way of showing affection”, Tony replies as he gets up to his feet and stretches, “not his fault you don’t appreciate it enough!”

“Not my fault you’re a weirdo who likes to get covered in wolf slobber!”

“Hey, I won’t tolerate any kink shaming in my house!”, Tony snickers, and Rhodey pulls a face because yeah, that was kinda gross, but whatever, it’s not like Tony cares.

In the end, Sato allows Rhodey to move further into the lab, all the while nibbling on one of his hands, which Rhodey seems ready to tolerate - For now. Which is what he always says. So far, he has yet to stop tolerating any of the wolf’s affectionate habits, so Tony isn’t all that worried.

“So, you guys all ready?”

“Uh.... No?”

“What? You had a week to pack everything, a _month_ , actually, and now you’re telling me that- Oh.”

“Oh? What do you mean, oh?”

“You’re scared.”

“Come again?”

“You heard me very well the first time”, Rhodey says as he sits down on the mattress, pulling Sato down onto the floor in front of him, “you’re scared shitless. Because you think something’s gonna go wrong.”

“That is so not correct! I have complete faith in our plan and our ability to make it work.”

“Yeah, but you still think something’s gonna go wrong.”

“Did you no listen to what I _just_ said? Because allow me to repeat myself, just for you, honey bear: I have complete--”

“I heard you just fine, Tones. But you tend to talk a lot of shit. Especially when you’re scared. So, I believe you. But I also don’t”, Rhodey continues as he pulls his hand out of Sato’s maw and wipes it on the mattress, “because I know you. And you’re scared.”

For a moment, he thinks about arguing against that statement. One look at Rhodey’s face, and he knows it’s a lost battle. Because that’s his best friend, who has always been able to see through his bullshit effortlessly. Like right now. So, instead of lying to Rhodey as well as himself, he drops down onto the mattress with a heavy sigh.

“Yeah, I’m scared.”

“Don’t be.”

“... Wow. That’s the most useless things anyone’s ever said to me.”

“Well, maybe if you let me finish talking, you wouldn’t have a reason to be such a bitch about it.”

“... Okay. I’m listening.”

“Good. So, you’re scared. And with good reason. Don’t give me that look! We both know this is crazy, and that we’re crazy for attempting to pull it off. Nothing to be done about that now. There’s no way back. We’re just gonna have to get through the next few hours, and I’m not gonna lie: There’s a big chance something’s gonna go wrong. But I’d like to believe we’ve done everything in our power to make it work.”

“Well, if I could--”

“Tell me, then”, Rhodey interrupts with hesitation, “tell me what else either of us could have done to make sure this will go over well.”

Tony does open his mouth, but then nothing comes out. Because even though he wrecks his rather impressive brain, there’s no answer - Simply because there’s nothing more either of them could’ve done. They prepared as well and as thorough as possible, given the circumstances. There’s nothing more to be done.

“Yeah, I thought so. We’ve done everything we could. Now it all depends on this guy right here.”

With that, Rhodey buries both his hands in Sato soft-coarse fur and scratches roughly. The big wolf rumbles and crawls a little closer, resting his head on the mattress between the two men, gazing up at the both of them adoringly. His golden eyes are shining, and he’s wagging his tail again.

**Thump thump thump. Thump thump thump. thump thump thump. Thump thump thump.**

“We already had a talk. Sato knows what’s expected of him. Right, buddy?”

Sato woofs again and nudges Tony’s thigh with his cold, wet nose. No, he doesn’t seem scared. Which is good, because Tony’s scared enough for both of them, anyway. He just hopes that the wolf won’t panic, not here, not anytime else. They just need to get through the next twelve hours, and then everything will be fine (or as fine as it can be when he’s hiding the giant animal in his basement).

“Then we should be good. You ready to get going, then?”

“Yeah... Yeah, might as well.”

“That’s the right attitude.”

Sato excitedly jumps to his paws when Tony and Rhodey get up, and trots after them through the lab while Tony gather the last of his things (phones, keys, a tablet, and small bag full of “wolfie treats”, stuff like that), and then cocks his head curiously when they make their way towards the garage doors.

“Too early for our walk, huh? Well, you’re in for a surprise, buddy. Come on, we’re on a tight schedule!”

Sato doesn’t need to be asked twice, easily trotting after them as they step outside into the cool night. As usual, the wolf takes a few moments to shake out his fur and sniff the air a few times. Then, he turns and slowly walks after Tony towards the front yard. When he sees the truck Rhodey has already parked there, he comes to a sudden halt.

“Yeah. Remember how we talked about moving today? This is kinda it.”

Sato grumbles lowly, sniffing the air as his hackles rise just slightly. Tony lets out a sigh as he turns around, reaching out to pet the wolf’s flank a few times. It’s kinda hard to comfort Sato when he’s back to panicking himself again, but he’s trying, okay? Rhodey is smart enough to simply put down the loading ramp and then climb behind the wheel, so it’s just the two of them. Just two nervous messes trying to make it. Awesome, just awesome.

“Hey, it’s okay. Nothing to be worried about. You’ve been in one of these things before, back when you, for some strange, stupid reason, decided to run away in the middle of the night. Won’t be much different now. Just- Better roads. None of that whole being jostled around bullshit, I promise.”

Sato grumbles again, body still tense and hackles raised. Yeah, he doesn’t look convinced at all. Which, okay. Tony can understand that, to a certain degree. He wouldn’t like being loaded into a truck, either, because that’s just no way to travel. And he certainly won’t blame his wolf for having some standards!

“Won’t be a long drive, either. Not even an hour, and then- Well, then we’ll have to get you onto the plane, and then we’re gonna fly to New York, and then we’ll be home again. All you have to do is get into that moving truck, and stay in that container for the next few hours.”

Sato bristles at that, and yeah, maybe that wasn’t the smartest thing to say. Tony has come to understand that his wolf doesn’t really like small spaces, especially when he has no way to _leave_. Understandable, of course. Not very helpful, though. Especially when they’re on a tight schedule.

“Come on, buddy”, Tony coaxes as he starts to walk towards the truck, still facing the slightly suspicious wolf, “just like the last time. Here, get this!”

With that, he climbs onto the loading ramp, and then slowly walks further towards the inside of the container. And just like last time, Sato whines in that confused way and starts to trot after him. Hackles still raised, muscles tense, and nose twitching non-stop, but he _does_ come closer. Because he trusts Tony. Let’s just hope that trust won’t end up getting both of them killed.

“Yeah, there’s nothing scary about a moving truck. You agree, don’t you? Because you’re a very brave wolf, and shit like that won’t scare you, right?”

He really hopes that Rhodey isn’t listening, because it sounds kinda bad, but what else is he supposed to do? Tony never thought he’d end up like this, either, but here they are. Nothing to be done about it. Taking a few more steps backwards, he is happy to see that Sato is following him. By now, his front paws are already on the loading ramp, and he’s busy sniffing the unfamiliar surface.

“You take your time with that”, Tony murmurs, although he glances down at his watch a few times, because they kinda have a flight to catch, “better not start this off the wrong way. But you know this, right? You remember? Hasn’t been all that long, and we didn’t die the last time, either. That’s gotta be a good memory, right?”

Okay, so maybe he’s grasping at straws there, sue him! Still, Sato keeps on walking up the ramp, and Tony keeps backing up, and just about a minute later, they’re both inside the container. Tony takes a deep breath and then buries both hands in Sato’s warm fur, scratching and petting. The wolf is still tense, slightly trembling, even, but neither of them is panicking so far, so that’s gotta be a win. And maybe Rhodey was right about his kinda low standards.

“Everything’s fine. You’re just gonna be a good wolfie, and stay right here, okay? Me and Rhodey are gonna drive you down to LAX, and then it won’t be long until we see each other again. So, you stay here, and nothing-- Okay, okay, okay, yeah, okay, I get it, not leaving yet, staying here, I’m staying here, you got me there.”

With a sigh, he wraps his arms around the now whimpering, downright shaking wolf, gently tugging on the soft fur and trying to come up with an alternative. If Sato can’t be calmed down, they’ll have to- What? Even he can’t think of an alternative plan of action, so this has to work. Now, because they’re already running late.

“Look, buddy, we really need to work through this. I get it, this sucks, but you’re gonna be just fine. So, I’m gonna go now, and I’m gonna close the door, and you’re gonna be a really good wolfie and not make a sound, okay? You’re gonna hold still and be quiet until you see me again. Which should happen in less than two hours. Think you can do that?”

Sato whines again and pushes against the arc reactor, but he does stay still and doesn’t protest when Tony pulls his hands back. Before leaving, the engineer once again takes hold of the wolf’s big head and looks into those shining golden-brown eyes.

“I get that you’re scared. I get that this sucks. But I promise, I swear on my life, and one Rhodey’s life, hell, I’ll swear on JARVIS’ circuit board: It’s gonna be okay. But I need you to do your part. So, be still, be quiet, and I’ll see you in about two hours. Got it?”

He gets a low woof and his face licked in return, and what else could he even ask for? With a small smile, he scratches behind those fluffy ears one more time, before slowly leaving the container - Pressing his back against the wall, carefully inching outside, because Sato is a big wolf and the truck is pretty much full. Once he jumps out, he quickly closes the loading ramp and then walks around the truck, climbing into the passenger seat.

“Okay, we’re ready to go.”

“Took you long enough”, Rhodey mutters as he turns the key and starts up the engine.

“Excuse me, Mr. I’m too impatient to wait until our precious cargo is comfortable enough to--”

“Oh wow, that’s a mouthful. You done anytime soon?”

“Fuck you, too, platypus. At least the wolf’s calm now.”

“Hey, I’m not criticizing your wolf taming skills--”

“I prefer the term _wolf whispering_ , actually.”

“I was just about to say I’m impressed, but just forget it. We’re going.”

“See, that’s a recurring problematic dynamic in our relationship”, Tony sighs as he buckles up, “you just don’t appreciate all of the amazing things I do on a daily basis! A little more praise would go a long, long way in--”

“Says the man with the biggest ego on the entire planet!”

“All the more reason to stroke it every other day! It’s a lot of ego to keep happy, and you aren’t doing that good of a job, and I really believe that--”

“Are you even listening to yourself?”

“Yes, I am. And I stand by what I said: I spent the last few minutes calming a giant wolf down so we could smuggle him to New York. I am awesome! I want applause!”

“You really want me to clap right now? While driving a truck with _your precious wolf in the back_?”

“... Yes. Three claps would be enough. Or a little pat on the back. I also accept verbal declarations of amazement and awe.”

Rhodey doesn’t dignify that with an answer, which- Ouch. Tony counters with a long sigh and a wistful gaze out of the window. When even that doesn’t get him a response, he turns to fidgeting. A minute later, he’s biting at his nails, then bouncing his leg, looking at his phones every ten seconds, switching through the radio stations--

“OKAY!”, Rhodey finally says after all of ten minutes, “you’re stressed. I get it. But you’re stressing me out, and we really don’t need that. One of us going stir crazy is more than enough.”

“Not like I can help it. In case you didn’t notice: All of this might very well--”

“Yeah, I know. Trust me, I _know_ that I’m risking my career, my reputation, and possibly my life. Message received, loud and clear. But you need to get your shit together. That wolf can read you like an open book, and we don’t need him panicking, too.”

“Wish it was that easy.”

“I know. Just- I dunno. Think positive?”

When Tony only casts him an exasperated look, Rhodey sighs and continues.

“Look, it sucks. We all know. We can’t change it. All we can do is put on our big boy pants, and get through today. And, honestly: I don’t really give a shit about how you feel, because I’m just as scared. So, you gonna behave? Or do I have to knock you out?”

Tony would really, _really_ like to give an answer to that. He doesn’t, though. Partly because everything has already been said. Partly because he knows that Rhodey is right (but don’t tell him he even thought that!). But, most importantly because Rhodey is a man of his word, and Tony doesn’t doubt for even a second that his best friend would knock him out in a moment’s notice. In the end, he decides to keep his mouth shut (although he can’t resist the dramatic eye-roll and a small scoff) and instead turn back towards the window, staring outside, watching the landscape pass them.

That’s how they spend the rest of the drive. At some point, Rhodey turns on the radio, and Tony taps the rhythm on his thigh and tries not to think about what’s yet to come - And then ends up obsessing over every single step of the way just minutes later. It’s a stressful ride, to say the least. Thankfully, Sato stays mostly quiet in the back of the truck. There’s the occasional rumble, and sometimes it sounds like he is repositioning his giant paws, but other than that, there’s no sign of the wolf going crazy. If they didn’t know any better, they probably wouldn’t even suspect that they’re transporting live cargo. All the better, and hopefully a good sign for the rest of the night.

“So, you ready to go?”

Tony nods as they stare ahead, towards the big, slowly opening gate. They’ll drive onto one of the more secluded hangars now, where there’s already a plane waiting for them - Along with some personnel. Which means that now’s the time to get rid of any lingering anxiety, and act like himself again, because this moment could make or break their entire mission. Because it’s not just any personnel that’s waiting for him.

“Okay. I’m gonna stay with the container, no matter what. You take care of the talking, it’s what you do best, anyway.”

“Thanks, platypus. Here’s to hoping I didn’t miscalculate spectacularly.”

“C’mon, Tones. You never do.”

Tony grins as Rhodey slaps his back, and then he takes a few deep breaths, until the truck comes to a halt. It’s still dark, yet the hangar is filled with people. Some military, but mostly man and women in sleek, black suits, wearing--

“Oh, fuck. They’re wearing sunglasses. At _night_ ”, Tony groans as he pushes his door open and jumps outside, “that’s how you know they’re fucking drama queens!”

“You’re one to talk!”

“Trust me, that’s a level of drama even I will never reach.”

Rhodey only rolls his eyes and mutters something not very nice under his breath, but before Tony can respond to that, his attention is needed elsewhere.

“Mr. Stark.”

“Ah, Coulson. The man I never wanted to see again.”

“Funny you should say that, since you asked for our help”, the agent replies as he gestures for Tony to follow along, “but putting aside our personal issues: We’ve secured the entire parameter. No one will be able to come even close to your--”

“Awesome, just awesome.”

“I agree. I take it the container on the truck is the last one?”

“Yeah. Colonel Rhodes is gonna help your minions unload it, and he’s gonna stay close to it. And I don’t want anyone to question that, you hear me?”

“Of course. The plane is all ready to take off in the next few minutes.”

Tony nods along as he watches the container being loaded off, praying that Sato will keep his promise and stay still. Thankfully, the hangar is anything but a quiet place, so even if the wolf ended up growling, he highly doubts those idiots would notice anything. Still, his heart is almost beating out of his chest now, and he feels his breath catch in his throat.

“Must be some truly priceless technology we are loading here”, Coulson says next to him, watching a herd of minions swarm around the container it’s slowly moved towards the back of the prepared plane.

Tony blinks a few times and squares his shoulders, because he signed up for this, and now he has to deliver.

“Yeah, pretty much. Some arc reactor prototypes, some upgrades for the newest suits, that kinda stuff. Wouldn’t want any of that to fall into the wrong hands”, he shrugs with a small smirk.

“Well, I’m glad we can be of help.”

“Oh, sure. But please don’t overestimate your importance here. Wouldn’t want you to get a wrong image.”

“Care to enlighten me, then?”

“Did you know they have lifeguards at the Olympic Games? Like, next to the pools where the world’s best swimmers compete? Just in case? Well, that’s you guys.”

Coulson doesn’t even blink at that, and Tony wishes he could just punch the guy straight in the face - Best case scenario, he’ll also break those ridiculous sunglasses at the same time as the man’s nose. But that’s what you get for asking SHIELD to secure your move, and he knew what he was getting into form the start. Doesn’t mean he can’t regret it now, too.

“Still, I’m glad you reached out to us. While you might disagree, we’re both fighting for the same thing. In different ways, of course, but we share some common ground.”

“Pretty sure you could say that about a lot of bad people, too. Don’t overestimate what all of this means. I needed a secured hangar, and you guys where the easiest to get a hold of.”

“So, it was a matter of practicality?”

“That, too. But you guys also don’t cost me a single dollar. And knowing you’re working the whole night for free to help me move across the country is a real ego booster.”

With that, he throws Coulson one last, shit eating grin, and then prances towards the plane. The container is almost loaded into it, so he’s freed from the exhausting small talk, and ready to get off the ground.

Sure, asking SHIELD for help was as risky move, and probably a stupid one, too. Tony is still sure it was the best plan of action, because there was no way they would’ve been able to pull all of this off in secret. SHIELD are nosey bastards, and they would’ve asked- Or worse. This way, they are now free to believe that Tony is slowly coming around, ready to accept their help (and needing it, too, which ew _)._ And sure, they probably sniffed around the other stuff, which was pretty much what he told Coulson about, and thereby they won’t have any reason to be suspicious about that last container. Now, they only have to get off the ground, and then they’ll be safe.

Casting a glance towards Rhodey, they nod at each other shortly, and then the container gets pushed onto the cargo compartment.

“Think we’re good?”

“Dunno. Give me an update, J!”

_Certainly, sir. There are no other crew members in the cargo department. The plane has already reached the travel height, and you should be free to open up the container without any witnesses. I will alert you the moment any of the other crew members move closer or give any other reason for concern._

“Awesome! C’mon, honey, let’s get this thing open!”

Between the two of them, it barely takes a minute to open the back the container. Before they even get a chance to look inside, Sato is already stumbling outside. Backwards, of course, and so both men jump out of the way with a low curse. The big wolf whines as his hind legs hit the ground, and then he’s already out, looking around. His entire body seems tense, his ears are twitching, and Tony is pretty sure he can see each single muscle tremble. Yeah, his wolf is stressed out. Time to step in.

“Hey, puppy. It’s okay, its all good.”

At the sound of his voice, Sato whips around, golden eyes boring into Tony’s, and then he’s already being tackled to the ground. The wolf is instantly above him, whining and whimpering, pressing against his chest, licking at the arc reactor and clawing at the ground right next to him. Yeah, stressed out seems to be the right description.

“Okay, okay, easy, easy, wolfie. It’s all good. You’re safe, and we’re both here. It’s- Okay, yeah, alright, we’re back to the licking, awesome, just great, so fucking great, I don’t mind.”

He can hear Rhodey chuckle in the background, but he can’t turn his head, because Sato is busy licking his face (and neck and chest, too), taking turns sniffing intensively at his clothes and hair in between. This close, he can feel the giant animal shaking against his own body, and he doesn’t like the knowledge that Sato is scared out of his mind. Because of him, of course.

“M’ sorry, buddy”, he whispers as he wraps his arms around the wolf’s scruff, pulling Sato just a little closer, “‘m really sorry about all of this.”

It takes a few minutes, but eventually Sato calms down. Still trembling ever so slightly, he sinks down to the ground (Tony makes sure to scramble away just in time, because he does _not_ want to be crushed today), resting his head on Tony’s lap. Both men breathe a sigh of relief, and the Rhodey takes a seat next to Tony reaching over to scratch behind Sato’s ears.

“He seems to be doing pretty well?”

“Yeah. Except for having a nervous breakdown about five minutes ago.”

“He was stressed, okay. But he was _not_ breaking down. And he’s okay now. Right, Sato?”

The wolf woofs lowly and leans over to take Rhodey’s hand into his maw, nibbling on his fingers. His tail also starts to wag lazily.

**Thump thump. Thump thump thump. Thump thump thump thump. Thump thump.**

“See? He’s fine!”

“But--”

“Moving is always stressful, on humans as well as on animals. He’ll survive”, Rhodey interrupts roling his eyes, and Tony doesn’t like that at all!

He isn’t being dramatic here, okay? And he’s also not some overprotective momma bear! He’s just... Worried. Which is completely normal, considering the circumstances. So Rhodey really needs to can it, that asshole.

“Anyway, we’ve got about five and a half hours until we land. You really wanna spend those hours worrying about how he might be breaking down internally? With him being completely fine in the meantime?”

“Okay, you got me there. You hungry, Sato?”

The wolf whines at that, so Tony grabs the bag of treats he brought with him, and opens it. Since it would’ve been pretty impractical (and kinda unhygienic) to bring Sato’s usual food with him, he settles for some of the better dog treats JARVIS found online. While Tony was a little hesitant, the wolf devoured the first two bags within two minutes. It was an easy decision after that.

That black nose now starts to twitch as Sato whines and scratches the ground again, then nudging Tony’s hand and licking at the bag when the man doesn’t feed him fast enough.

“Yeah, I get it. Regardless of the one hundred pounds of meat you ate just a few hours ago, you are starving.”

“You actually fed him today?”

“Wasn’t planning on it. I actually wanted to _not_ feed him anything, in case he got sick. But then he pretty much took apart my industrial freezer, and I kinda didn’t have a choice by then. So yeah, he got his food.”

“Then we better hope he won’t get sick.”

“Don’t jinx it, honey bear. You really don’t wanna find out how much a single giant wolf can throw up.”

Rhodey shudders at that image, and Tony just hopes they won’t have to endure that. For now, Sato doesn’t look like he’ll be sick any time soon. Instead, he’s happily munching on his treats, and wagging his tail happily. Doesn’t look too stressed, now. Tony brushes his free hand through the soft fur and hopes things will stay this easy.

“You hungry, too.”

“Oh my god, you brought food?”

“I did. Only sandwiches, though.”

“I don’t mind, I’m starving!”

Now the stress has lessened just a bit, Tony feels his empty stomach growl. He hasn’t eaten anything in, what? 24 hours? Sounds about right, and so the sandwich Rhodey hands him is more than welcome. He wolfs it down in just a few moments, all the while pushing Sato’s snout away, because of course his own food is always more interesting than what he’s serving the wolf.

They spend a few more minutes eating (because Rhodey is a saint, and he has packed more than enough to feed the two of them), and then Tony stretches with a groan. His joints pop, and he cringes at the sound, because it reminds him of _getting older_ , and he doesn’t like that thought at all. Ah, better not think about it! Instead, he focuses his attention back at the wolf’s head in his lap, and those golden eyes gazing up at him. Sato is watching him, and starts wagging his tail once Tony’s starts to smile a little.

**Thump thump thump thump. Thump thump thump thump. Thump thump thump. Thump thump thump thump.**

“You alright there, buddy? You all good? Not much longer now, I promise. And then, it won’t take more than a hour to get us all to the new home.”

Another small whine, and Tony grins, because he imagines the wolf is excited about the prospect of his new home, too. Or maybe he’s just projecting. He himself is- Well, he’s kinda excited, but mostly scared. He’ll probably more excited once all of this is over. At least he hopes so.

“And you did really good, by the way. I’m really proud of you. You’ve been such a good wolfie, and I’m really glad you didn’t freak out and take apart the entire hangar. SHIELD would’ve had a field day!”

“You think they suspect anything?”

“Nah, don’t think so. They probably saw a bunch of the stuff we’re moving, anyway, and I didn’t lie about that. Coulson is probably still pissing his pants because of the arc reactor stuff.”

“They’re really into that shit, huh?”

“Because they’ve got a vague idea what kind of things I can do with that kinda of tech. Though that’s still pretty tame. Hardly anyone really understands what I’ll be capable of, but that doesn’t matter. As long as they think I start to trust them with shit like this, they won’t sniff around _too much_.”

“Hope you’re right. And if you’re wrong--”

“Don’t worry. The Tower has top notch security. I’ve been working on a few more gadgets, and if they ever dare to set a foot inside _without my explicit permission_ \- Well, rest assured, I’ll kick their ass. On the battle field as well as in court.”

“You think they’d find him if--”

“No”, Tony mutters with a shake of his head, “no, no chance in heaven or hell. His room is a fucking fortress, no way they’d ever get inside. No one but me will get inside. It’ll be the safest place in the entire Tower, along with the lab.”

“Sounds like you took care of everything.”

“I’d be an idiot if I didn’t.”

“Don’t worry, you’re still kind of an idiot. But a slightly more responsible one, now. I’m sure it’ll all work out.”

“Hope you’re right, platypus. Not sure what I’m gonna do if things go--”

“They won’t, okay? It’s all gonna work out. Trust me, everything will be alright.”

They spend the rest of the flight talking, with Tony taking small breaks to check his phone and watch. No new messages, and Sato hasn’t sent out any signals. Those have been working out great, even though he hardly needs to check JARVIS’ translations anymore. Mostly, he communicates with his wolf the way he does with other people: Tony talks a lot, and Sato seems to understand the gist of it. Otherwise, the wolf responds to his body language, and since their daily lives don’t offer all that much variation these days, he usually knows what Sato wants whenever the wolf gets nervous.

Since he’s still a little unsure about putting a collar on Sato, Tony has settled on putting a scanner into the container, which seems to be working fine for now. Not as precise as would be if he’d attached it to the wolf’s body, but good enough for now. Tonight, he’s mostly looking out for distress calls, but there are hardly any. Even in the truck, the wolf didn’t seem all that agitated, only calling out for something that Tony has dubbed “attention seeking”, because that’s the closest he’s come to defining it. And he must’ve sensed that Tony was close, because those calls always tapered off just a few moments later. One major distress call once the container was opened, but other than that- Apparently Rhodey was right. The wolf was pretty much fine. At least not breaking down over the whole moving ordeal. Which is... Good. Very good. Tony scoffs and looks down at wolf’s head. Sato isn’t moving around, but his nose and ears are twitching, and his gaze is wandering throughout the entire room they’re in. He’s a curious one, after all. As long as he’s not freaking out, Tony can live with that.

“Think he’s gonna like New York?”

“That wolf will like any place, as long as you’re there”, Rhodey mutters.

He has decided to lean his back against Sato’s flank, leaning his head back and closing his eyes, because apparently he’s getting tired. That amateur.

“Yeah, but it’s pretty different from what he’s used to.”

“The way it sounded, you’ve already worked out a plan to make sure he’ll be happy there. Already doubting your ow genius?”

“I would _never_.”

“Then why’re you asking?”

It’s a difficult question, and Tony isn’t sure how to answer. He isn’t sure where all this doubt is coming from. He isn’t used to that shit. And normally, he wouldn’t have to worry about shit like that, anyway - Because he would be moving to New York alone. With no one else by his side to worry about. Yet here he is, worrying, because he’s bringing his wolf with him, and that’s- That makes a big difference. All of a sudden, he’s responsible for another living being, one that trusts him with all his heart, and he’s really scared of fucking that kinda of trust up. Tony is a fuck-up at heart, at least when it comes to anything but inventing and building and repairing.

“Sato will be fine. He’s gonna love it there. As long as you’re with him. So, as long as you stay with him, you won’t have anything to worry about. Easy as that.”

“Easy, huh?”

“As easy as it can be when you’re caring for someone else”, Rhodey replies with a shrug, “you’r not alone anymore. In that way, I mean. You weren’t before, either, but there was no one else you had to look out for. And now you have.”

“In the form of a giant wolf that seemingly teleported into my lab a few weeks ago.”

“Come on, we always knew it’d have to be special for you!”

“Guess so. And you’re real special, aren’t you? Yes, yes you are! Such a special little puppy!”

“... You sound--”

“Ah-ah-ah, I don’t wanna hear it! Don’t shame me for giving some love to my wolfie!”

Sato seems to agree, because he lifts his head to lick at Tony’s chin, and it makes the engineer grin and cringe in equal measures. He doesn’t mind, at least not as much as he should. Somehow, he’s gotten used to getting covered in wolf slobber on a daily basis, and that’s kinda worrying.

“Guess you’ll be happy, then, huh? If uncle Rhodey says so”, he murmurs into the wolf’s fur, carding his hands through it, scratching a few of Sato’s favorite spots, “and I promise I’ll stay with you, as long as I can. If that’s what makes you happy.”

When Rhodey doesn’t react, Tony leans just a little closer and whispers into the wolf’s ear.

“It kinda makes me happy, too. But don’t tell your uncle. Or anyone else, for that matter. Just- Make sure you remember.”

Sato rumbles happily, nudging his chest with his cold nose, nibbling at his t-shirt. And that’s all the agreement that Tony needs.

_Sir, the plane will land in about fifteen minutes. I advise to load Sato into the container now, as to avoid any uncomfortable surprises._

“Thanks, J. You’ve heard to AI, buddy. Back into the container with you!”

Sato apparently doesn’t like that idea. Whining, he presses closer to Tony, snuggling into the man’s chest, nudging his stomach, and doing his best puppy eyes. It’s hard not to melt at the sight, and Tony already loathes of loading the wolf up again. Nothing to be done about that, so he does his best to adopt a stern expression and pose as a figure of authority.

“No, I don’t wanna hear it! We need to hide you again, or else those weirdo who wear sunglasses at night are gonna try to take you away! And you don’t want that, right?”

Another whine, and some more nudging. Tony breathes a deep sigh and does indulge his wolfie one more time, scratching behind his ears, and then dragging his fingers up and down the back of the wolf’s snout. Sato rumbles and lets his eyes slip shut.

“I know it sucks. But I promise it won’t be long now. In less than three hours, we’re gonna get you out, and you’ll be free to explore your new home! It’s gonna be awesome, I promise. But only if you get back into the container right the fuck now.”

There’s some unhappy grumbling, but then Sato gets up onto his paws and shakes out his fur. Rhodey gets woken up in the progress, when there’s nothing to lean on for his back anymore, and he falls flat onto the ground. Tony chuckles as his best friend curses in between yawns, and then he pushes a hand into the grey-white fur and guides Sato towards the container. He can feel the wolf’s muscles tense up with each step they take, but there’s nothing he can do about that now. They have to get moving, and they’ll have a lot of time for cuddling and comfort once they’ve reached the Tower.

“Won’t be that long now”, Tony murmurs as he walks the wolf into the container, hand still buried in the soft fur, “you’ve been amazing so far. Just hold on for a little longer, and all of this will be over before you know it. Think you can do that?”

Sato woofs, and Tony make sure to take a few moments to pet his wolf, because affection is important, and he needs this to work. Once Sato seems settled (or as settled as he’ll ever be in this not appropriately sized container), he pulls back and inches outside again. By now Rhodey has managed to get up, and together they lock the container once again. It doesn’t feel good. None of this does, because Tony knows that the wolf is already stressing out again, and he doesn’t like being the reason for that.

“Don’t worry too much, he’ll be fine. He’s not as much of a pussy as you are.”

“Yeah, I love you, too, asshole.”

“I know you do. So, we better get ready for the landing. Won’t be too long now.”

To Tony’s immense relief, the rest of the journey goes smoothly, without any hitch. After the landing, they are greeted with yet another swarm of SHIELD drones, and they are _also wearing sunglasses at night_. Maybe that’s a requirement for working these kinds of jobs. Maybe SHIELD only hires drama queens. Who knows? Who cares? Tony certainly doesn’t. He’s too busy watching over every single one of their movements, holding his breath while they unload the container and then proceed to load it onto yet another truck (and since it takes he while, he almost passes the fuck out right then and there). One of three, actually, because he has some stuff other than a giant wolf to move as well. One of the drones tries to shake his hand, so Tony assumes they’re free to go and walks away, completely ignoring the outstretched hand.

Rhodey is already climbing behind the wheel of truck number three (with Sato), and Tony only casts a quick glance towards the other two, which will be driven by SHIELD agents, sadly. Whatever, as long as they don’t get too close, they’ll be fine.

There are no words exchanged while they drive towards the Tower. Tony is busy biting his nails, and this time, Rhodey doesn’t try to calm him down. Not much longer now, anyway. The streets are still rather busy, so his friend has to focus on driving, anyway, and they both know that these are some critical moments right there. Really not much to be said right now. The wolf is calm, doesn’t seem too distressed, and they really can’t ask for much more. Tony wouldn’t ask for more than anything other than a nervous breakdown, so he’s actually pretty happy with this situation.

In the end, everything works out. Somehow, and Tony isn’t sure why or how, but he won’t question it, either, because he doesn’t want to tempt fate that way (if he believed in shit like that to begin with). So, he only trembles in his seat when Rhodey parks the truck in the Tower’s huge garage, and then jumps out of his seat to guide the other drivers inside. And then, he makes sure to usher them outside the moment they leave the trucks, because fuck no, he doesn’t want them inside of his new home, not even for a second! There’s some arguing, some shit about checking the parameter in order to make sure everything’s secure, and even some questions if he’d like some help unpacking, but Tony simply shoves them outside and shuts the door in the their faces. And then, he just fucking breathes, closing his eyes for a few seconds, trying to stop his hands from shaking too much. They made it. They actually fucking made it! He’s not sure he actually believes it just yet.

“Hey, you done over there? Because I think your wolf wants to get out!”

“Right, right. Gimme a sec, I’m still a little shaky.”

“I know, and I don’t care. Your wolf wants to get out, so help me open this thing!”

There’s a thud, which kinda sounds like someone’s kicking against those metal walls. That sound spurs Tony into action, and he quickly gets his shit together and jogs over. By the time he makes it there, the container is shaking, and by now some unhappy growling can clearly be heard from within.  
“Someone’s getting impatient”, Tony mutters, and then they get to work.

This time, they don’t even get to lower the loading ramp all the way down before Sato jumps out.

“MOTHERFUCKER, WATCH IT!”, Tony yells and quickly jumps out of the way.

The wolf doesn’t seem to care, he’s too busy shaking out his fur and sniffing the air, then the ground, ears perked and twitching, entire frame trembling. Not with fear, now, as far as Tony can tell, but rather excitement. While Rhodey’s still busy getting back to his feet, the wolf is already off - Nose firmly attached to the ground, tail up in the air, exploring, checking, learning. Once the shock has worn off just a little, Tony can’t help but watch his wolf in fascination. The giant animal is completely absorbed by his new surroundings, all senses honed and focused. It’s actually kinda cool. Also, Tony is pretty sure that if there was any kind of danger, Sato would find and eliminate in a matter of seconds.

“I almost got killed by your wolf.”

“Ah, don’t exaggerate. He was just a little excited.”

“Which almost got me killed.”

“Don’t be such a party-pooper! Look how happy he is now!”

_Happy_ might be the wrong word, but at least Sato doesn’t seem scared. Or nervous. Excited, interested, and pretty hyped up. Still, Tony can’t help but grin as he watches his wolf do rounds around the garage, sniffing every inch in his path, all the while lost in his own world. He gets that, he really does. But it’s probably better not to compare himself to Sato that way.

“Hey, buddy! I know this is already pretty cool, but how about we check out your own room, huh?”

That gets the wolf’s attention. Immediately, his ears perk up, and he bounds over with a happy bark, golden eyes shining. Tony opens his arms and somehow manages to remain upright when the wolf crashes into him, once again getting covered in wolfie-slobber, but what can you do? Rhodey is laughing, and they made it to New York, and nothing went wrong, nothing at all! It still seems like a small miracle- Or a gigantic one.

“Alright, puppy, then let’s go to your room. I’m sure you’ll like it!”

Sato does like his room. Though, Tony has to admit - It’s pretty awesome, even by his standards.

For once, it’s bigger. About 100 square meters, all open space, so the wolf will be able to move freely. He has made sure to use sturdy materials, for the floor as well as the walls, stuff that won’t break easily and can be cleaned without too much effort. It’s got underfloor heating, as well as underfloor conditioning, because Tony has a feeling that the wolf likes it a little cooler, considering his thick fur, and all that. The walls are a softer shade of white, the floor is made of black marble (because Tony has a feeling it’ll get dirty pretty soon, anyway, and he’d prefer not to see all the dirt too well).

Since there are no animal beds big enough to accommodate Sato, Tony has settled for simply throwing about twenty soft blankets into one corner. Considering the wolf has been sleeping on the bare marble floor for weeks now, he doubts Sato would complain. Still, he likes the idea of the wolf having his own bed, and they’ll just have to see how it goes.

Best thing, though: Sato’s room and Tony’s lab share a wall. Right in the middle, there is a small deepening, hardly even noticeable. That’s where the rooms connect, so Sato will still be able to come close whenever he feels like it (or whenever Tony needs some cuddly-time), or simply watch Tony when he’s working. Tony knows that the wolf enjoy that, and he suspects that the wolf wouldn’t like being isolated, so he’ll make sure to make Sato feel included. That middle wall can be raised whenever he needs to hide the wolf, and lowered in a matter of seconds, too. It’s also one of only two ways to enter Sato’s room, the other one being a wide gate connecting it to the garage. Which is also how they get in that very first time.

“Wow.”

“Thanks, I know.”

“That’... Really cool.”

“Again: I know. But I gotta admit, I’m a little proud of it myself. And I think he likes it, too.”

Sato is once again sniffing through the entire room, tail wagging and ears twitching. Excited, and not at all scared. Tony likes what he sees.

“Remember that blackout mode from Malibu? We’ve got that here, too, only that it connect to the entire security system and will shut down the entire Tower if something happens. No way out for whoever’s stupid enough to try.”

Sato has reached to blankets and is sniffing them intensively. Pawing at them, too. Not sure if he likes them yet, it seems. Whatever, maybe he’ll change his mind.

“Oh, and I installed some freezers, too. Finally got enough room to store about 500 pounds of meat, and that should do for a few days. And I’ve got a cool solution for a water bowl, too. It’s integrated in the floor, and I’ll teach him to open it up himself, so that it won’t get dirty, and he won’t empty it onto the floor.”

The wolf has laid down on the blankets, and is now rolling around, making those weird, happy rumbling sounds, throwing his paws into the air. Tony grins at the image, and hey, maybe those blankets where a good idea, after all!

“Seems like you thought if everything, then.”

“No, not by a long shot. There’s always room for improvement, but it should do for now.”

“It’s awesome, Tones. And your wolf already loves it.”

It seems that way. Sato is still rolling around in the blankets. By now, he has managed to catch one of them in his snout, chewing on it. Toys, yeah, Tony will have to figure out some toys. Sato might get bored if he ever needs to leave for a few more hours, or even a day or two... So yeah, he’ll think about toys, and other ways to keep the animal engaged.

A moment later, Sato rolls back onto his stomach and shakes his head, blanket still in his maw. After a couple of seconds, he seems to notice that they’re both watching him, and he cocks his head with a small, almost confused whine.

“We actually did it, huh?”

“Yeah, Tones. We did”, Rhodey laughs as he claps him on the shoulder.

And right that moment, Sato stars wagging his tail once again.

**Thump thump thump thump. Thump thump. Thump thump thump thump. Thump thump thump.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry it took me this long to update/ finish this work. Real life got in the way, as I'm currently looking into adopting a second dog, and the process is just a bit more time consuming than I anticipated -.- but hey, it seems like I'll be able to adopt my favorite candidate, so it's all working out :D
> 
> Anyway, it's finished now, I hope you enjoy! Considering the time line, you can probably guess what's going to happen next? *cough Avengers cough* I'll probably take a longer break to finish the next installment completely, but I think I'll start posting again around the end of february (depending on work load). Hope to see you then!
> 
> Love,  
> Goldie

They end up ordering take out in the middle of the night. Once it arrives, Tony cracks open a rather expensive bottle of gin, and they have a very late dinner in the middle of Sato’s new room. The two men get drunk, laughing and joking and exchanging stories, while they stuff themselves with vietnamese take out. Of course, Sato gets a few pizzas as well, which he chews on while rumbling happily, wagging his tail and pushing against Tony’s chest whenever it takes too long for him to get the next slice. Once all the food is gone, the wolf spends a few minutes licking his maw and paws clean, before resting his head in Tony’s lap, subtly demanding ear scratches - Which he gets, of course. Why shouldn’t he?

Not too long after, Rhodey passes out (because let’s face it, there’s no one quite able to out-drink Tony just yet), curled up on the marble floor, snoring softly. And yes, Tony takes a video on his phone, because his best friend is snoring softly, and he’ll probably use this for blackmail in the not so distant future. Yeah, okay, he might be a little drunk himself, but who cares? Still snickering to himself, he pockets his phone, only to grunt when he gets pushed onto his back by Sato’s big snout.

“Hey, watch it, big guy!”

The wolf only rumbles again, pushing closer, until he’s pressed against Tony’s side, his heavy head resting on the engineer’s chest and stomach. The familiar weight makes Tony sigh with relief, because yeah, this is something he’s gotten used to. And he likes it, he likes it a lot. Makes him feel that he’s not alone, that he’s not drifting away too far. Sato’s weight keeps him grounded, gently pressing him into the ground. Tony always thought that would be a scary thing to feel, but no- Turns out he was wrong.

“Would you look at that. Seems like the impossible happens sometimes, after all. Ever thought that was possible, buddy? The impossible?”

The wolf scoffs at that, and it sounds entirely too amused. Like the only thing that’s missing is an exasperated eye roll on Sato’s part. Wait- Can wolves even do that? Regular wolves? And what about giant ones, huh? Those are the important questions no one asks! Except for him. And so, he will be the one left to search for those--

“EW! Ugh, wolfie, you’re disgusting, you know that?”

Again, all he gets is some happy rumbling, and then Sato goes back to licking his face and neck gently. The engineer sighs and resigns himself to the disgusting cleaning regime, because he knows how to pick his battles. After a few more seconds, he even goes so far as to start carding his hands through the wolf’s pelt in return. No wonder his wolf isn’t listening to his protest! He’ll have to work on being stricter in the future.

And oh wow, the future! What a terrifying subject to think about right now. With a small sigh, Tony looks down at his giant puppy, who’s done cleaning his skin (a.k.a covering him in slobber) and is now nosing at his t-shirt, gently nibbling on the piece of clothing covering the arc reactor.

“Weird wolf”, he murmurs as he flicks Sato’s black nose and then offers his hand.

The big animal complies, taking his hand into his maw, gently nipping on his fingers as he lets out a sigh, dropping his head on the engineer’s chest once again. His golden eyes are locked on Tony’s face, as if he’s waiting for something. If only Tony knew what he was waiting for. Then again, he’s pretty sure he’s too tired to even get up to begin with. Still, the wolf’s calm, and that’s a lot more than Tony was hoping for.

“Yeah, you don’t care, huh? We just moved all across the country, into a new home, and your entire life just changed. But you just don’f give a fuck, huh?”

Sato whine, carefully pawing at Tony’s side, but the engineer only shakes his head.

“Nah, it’s alright. Better this way, anyway. Better than have you panicking. Not sure what we would’ve done, to be honest. Didn’t really have any sort of back-up plan. Good thing you didn’t go crazy on the way here, huh?”

Another rumble, and Sato goes back to nibbling on his fingers, all the while watching Tony, who’s staring right back. Yeah, he’s got a pretty weird wolf, and that’s saying something! Still, he’s glad it’s all over. Come to think of it, there were countless moments when everything could’ve gone to shit in a moment’s notice. And yet they are here, without any incident. It’s awesome how things can work out.

“‘S gonna be alright, you hear me? And I promised. Remember that, wolfie?”

Sato whines at that, and leans forward to nudge his chin with his cold, wet nose. Tony clucks his tongue, gently pushing the wolf’s head away, but still carding a hand through the soft-coarse fur, until the wolf rumbles happily.

“Yeah, and I intend to keep that promise. But I think we can make this work. Gonna unpack in the next few days - get DUM-E and YOU out of their boxes. The other rooms should be ready in a few days, too, and then Pepper will get here... But I’m sure we’ll be alright. You’ve got an awesome room, now, and we’re still gonna spend a lot of time together. I’ll even try to sleep down here as often as possible.”

Sato’s eyes are slowly drifting closed, so Tony carefully pulls his hand from the wolf’s maw. Then, he starts to slowly drag his fingers up and down the wolf’s snout, eliciting a content rumble from the wolf’s chest. As the big animal relaxes even further against him, Tony keeps on talking.

“Yeah, we’re gonna be alright. You’ll be safe here, and in a few weeks, we’re gonna try and get out of the city for a few days. Drive upstate, and explore the woods there. ‘M sure you’ll like it there, ‘s supposed to be really nice.”

The wolf’s body is growing even heavier, now, and Rhodey starts to snore just a little louder. Tony yawns as he wraps his arms around the wolf’s scruff, pulling the big guy just a little closer until he curls closer around the man’s body, warming him. With a sigh, he presses a kiss against the wet nose, which earns him a sneeze, which is just awesome. Still, he’s too tired to be annoyed at that, so he only wipes a hand over his wet face and then settles down for the night. And yeah, he’s gonna wake up with a stiff neck and back, and probably a hang-over, too, but who cares? He’ll be just fine - As long as Rhodey feels just a little bit worse than he does.


End file.
